Inspired by his family history, writer and director Espen Hjort has a pack of radioactive dogs chasing a Norwegian professor. The production takes us to a mysterious research institute in the early years of the Cold War, where radiation experiments are being carried out on dogs. Five actors play both humans and dogs in an ever-evolving story about progress and responsibility.
The story: when one dog escapes and mutates, a series of scenes unfolds that connects seemingly unrelated characters: the professor’s wife, a caretaker who buries the dogs, an invisible director, a young photographer and a performance artist who comes to perform at the summer festival. A hallucinatory chain reaction is set in motion, one that outlives the Cold War. With Landscape with Radioactive Dogs, Espen creates a poignant performance about the consequences of human action. How can we look beyond humanity? What constitutes justice in the relationship between humans and animals?
Text and direction: Espen Hjort
Cast: Marlies Heuer, Lowie van Oers, Anne-Chris Schulting, Romy Vreden, Clarette Schouten
Lighting design Varja Klosse
Costume design Daphne de Winkel
Teaser Bowie Verschuuren